"Oh, Lizzy, I wish for you that Aunt had never suggested going to Pemberley."
Elizabeth sighed. "Dear, dear Jane, always concerned for me. Do not worry about my state of mind - any discomfort would be well-deserved."
"You are truly too harsh upon yourself. I'm sure your mistakes in perception are not so terribly bad. Non one in Meryton even guessed there might be another side of Mr. Darcy."
"As if anyone else in Meryton would be able to see," Elizabeth scoffed. "Charlotte did not think him so terrible. You yourself warned me against presuming too much - do you not remember? Something to the effect of, 'Surely Mr. Darcy could not be so cruel.' But still I formed my mistaken prejudices." Elizabeth signed again.
Jane looked at her sister. It was not like her to be so careful about a man's opinion of her. Lizzy had never been so distraught, in fact, about anyone's opinion of her. She leaned across the seat of the moving carriage and took Elizabeth's hand in her own, saying quietly, "Mr. Darcy will probably not be at home."
Elizabeth smiled weakly. "Since when has Mr. Darcy adhered to our expectations? I find him most vexing in that respect, at least." She glanced over at Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner, relieved that they were asleep and completely unaware of this personal conversation. Jane, and Jane alone, knew of her recent encounters of Mr. Darcy and their disastrous results. Lizzy was an intensely private person and did not care to let others know her personal feelings. Only Jane had that privilege, and even then, Lizzy would not disclose everything. She kept from her sister the painful information give to her about Mr. Bingley's complete cluelessness about her sister's presence in London earlier that year. Jane remained sure that Mr. Bingley had always been indifferent, and Lizzy was not inclined, not yet, to tell Jane what would cause her either more pain or joy. Elizabeth remained slightly apprehensive, should Bingley, as one of Mr. Darcy's closest friends, be at Pemberley.
Elizabeth closed her eyes and let the sun's healing rays play full upon her face. Jane glanced sympathetically at her, knowing well the pain of the struggle she was going through, having experienced the same kind of sorrow over Mr. Bingley. She still, no matter what she said, was definitely not over him, and knew that Lizzy, at least, saw right through her assertions of perfect indifference twoard Mr. Bingley as though her mask was made of purest crystal. She sighed then, imitating Lizzy's sign of torturous thoughts and felt herself grow weary as she remembered the months in London when she had hoped, prayed, that Mr. Bingley was not indifferent, that he would indeed come to see her. Waiting for more than a month, however, meeting with Caroline Bingley twice, who surely would not keep the information from her brother, assured her dejected heart that Mr. Bingley must indeed have bestowed his heart upon another - possibly the supposedly beautiful Miss Georgiana Darcy, whom Miss Bingley had been sure to mention and dwell upon in every, increasingly rude, missives she sent to Jane. She still believed that Mr. Bingley was good at heart, and refused to think of his actions as toying with her affections. She just must have been reading too much in his actions.
The carriage trundled through a small path on the driveway to Pemberley. Jane's eye wandered among the bushes ,resting on a tall one with a branch extended gaily over the path. Elizabeth saw it, too, and admired its independence, while Jane's eye was fastened on the man's hat hanging on the end. She blinked. Swiftly reaching out she snatched it as they passed. It seemed vaguely familiar, yet she couldn't quite place where she had seen it before. Perhaps it was one of Mr. Darcy's. No, he was far too conscious of his surroundings to allow for the loss of a hat.
Elizabeth gasped, then peered over her shoulder at the corner of Pemberley that she could see. Wide-eyed, she looked at Jane, who was frowning at it, and completely unaware of Elizabeth's reaction. Elizabeth remembered seeing it distinctly atop Mr. Bingley's head. Her stomach clenched, wondering at Jane's reaction should Mr. Bingley have found his way to Pemberley. Her own thoughts were not settled. If Mr. Bingley was at Pemberley, surely Mr. Darcy would be there, too.
Elizabeth caught her breath at the sheer massiveness of Pemberley House, and, glancing at Jane, knew that her sister shared the same reaction. The afternoon sun burst upon them as they emerged from the driveway. The sunlight sparkled on the pond and the house, elegant in a sea of rolling, crisp, green grass, choked her throat with its beauty. And I could have been a very happy Mistress of Pemberley by now...
With a burst of playful enthusiasm that she seriously could not explain, she snatched Mr. Gardiner's hat from off his face. The sunlight caused his lids to flutter and when he finally opened his eyes, they watered. In reaction to the light, which Elizabeth knew hat Mr. Gardiner's gray eyes could not handle, he sneezed in a handkerchief hurriedly provided him, repeatedly. Mrs. Gardiner, awoken by the noise, not unlike the explosion of a small bomb, blinked in confusion.
"Come now, we cannot enter Pemberley with teary eyes or sleepy countenances, can we?" Lizzy teased, her dark eyes twinkling.
"Surely at least you could wake your poor, tired uncle in a little more gentle fashion, could you not?" Mr. Gardiner remarked wearily. His comment was met by a cheery laugh. Giddy, they all stepped out of the carriage in front of the house.
They were met by a tidy, gentle-looking housekeeper, at the door, a plump lady with a head crowned with rather nice-looking red hair. "Positively better than Caroline Bingley's," thought Elizabeth with a wry smile.
Elizabeth was overcome with wonder, that Mr. Darcy would have inherited the obvious elegance and natural taste of Pemberley. Indeed, she now realized that he was always impeccably dressed, cravat tied neatly in place, and coat well-fitting for every occasion.
Jane broke into her thoughts and hurried her forward. "Come, Lizzy, we shall never get through of you continue to tarry like this!"
They entered the Marble Statue Room, and Lizzy began wandering about, stopping in front of a face she knew well...